Leg-guard.



No. 696,764. Patented Apr. I, I902.

B. r. SHIBE. 1.2a GUARD.

(Application filed July 27, 1901.

(No Model.)

, W/TNESSES: //v VENTOH y ATTOHN Y NlThD rains.

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BENJAMIN F. SHIBE, OF BALA, PENNSYLVANIA.

Led-curiae.

SPEGIFIGATION forming part Of Lettersfatent NO. 696,764, dated April 1, 1902.

Application filed July 2'7, 1901- Serial No. 69,870. (N0 11105.91.)

To on whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. SHIBE, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Bala,

in the county of Montgomery and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Leg'Guards; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in guards or protectors, and has particular reference to guards or protectors for the legs of the wearer, and is designed for use in athletic games-such as foot-ball, cricket, (Ste-wherein the limbs are liable to injury from blows, falls, 850.; and it has for its object the provision of a neat, light, and reliable leg-guard, being especially designed to protect the shin or foreleg from injuries incident to such games.

The invention consists of a leg guard or protector composed of a suitable shield adapted to be secured to the leg and means secured to said shield and adapted to rest against the fore part of the leg, said means being so secured to said shield as to form a space be tween it and the front of the leg of the wearer.

The invention further consists in the novel arrangement and combination of the several parts of the device, as hereinafter described, illustrated in the drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings, Figure l is a blank from which the shield is constructed. Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the guard complete; and Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the guard, illustrating in cans employed for holding said shield out of contact with the front of the leg. Fig. t shows a modified form of means shape. The upper end of the blank is curved, as shown at a, so that when bent into proper shape the central upper portion will protect the knee-cap, while the inclined side portions falling below the knee-joint will permit free action of said joint. The lower end of this blank is cut with an inward curve, as shown at a, so as to afford free action of the ankle and at the same time by reason of the sloping sides a a covering the ankle-joint or knuc kles, protect the same. When the blank A is made of rawhide or similar material, it is rendered impervious to water and is given the required degree of hardness by any suitable well-known waterproofing compound.

The blank A is preferably bent into the desired shape so as to adapt it to the part or portion of the wearer to be protected and constitutes the shield of the guard. B indicates the means for holding said shield out of contact with the front of the leg or part to be protected and consists of a stay or stays, preferably of suitable pliant material, such as canvas, secured to said shield in anysuitable manner, preferably by stitching to the opposite side edges of said shield,and extend across the concave portion or side thereof. The stay or stays B are shorter than the Width of the blank A, so that when said blank is formed to the desired shape and the stay or stays secured thereto a space will be formed between the inner surface of the shield and said stay or stays. The stay or stays B when secured to the shield are preferably loose or slack, so that the front portion of the leg or part to be protected may set into the hollow or concaved portion of said shield. It will be evident that when the guard is secured on the leg the shin or foreleg will set within the concaved portion of the shield against the stay or stays and will thereby be held out of contact with said shield, a space being thus formed between the inner or convexed surface of the shield and the shin or foreleg or other part to be protected. By reason of this space and the pliant character of the stay or stays B the impact of any blowsuch as a knock, kick, fall, doe-will not be transmitted to the part sought to be protected, but will be taken up and cushioned by said stay or stays, thus preventing injury to the protected parts.

The shield is provided at its respective side edges with loops a preferably made by cutting two parallel slits through the shield, as shown. Securing-straps c 0 pass through the loops and are provided with means, such as buckles, for securing the shield to the leg.

By the use of rawhide for the shield portion of the guard I have provided a protector that ispracticallyindestructible. If astrap should break or get out of order, it may be easily and quickly replaced by another, and should the stay or stays B break, tear, or rip it or they may also be quickly and easily replaced. It will thus be seen, as above stated, that the life of one of these guards or protectors is practically without limit.

While I prefer to construct the parts of the device of the material set forth in the above description, yet it is evident that they may be constructed of other material, so I do not confine myself to the materials named nor to the precise construction shown and described as it is evident that modifications of the device may be made without in the least departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. A guard for protecting the leg of the wearer from the impact of a blow, consisting of a curved shield portion, and stay means so secured to the sides of said shield portion over the concave surface thereof as to be slack, for the purpose of permitting the leg of the wearer to partially set into the concavity of said shield, and form a space between said stay means and the concave surface of the shield, and means for securing said guard to the leg of the wearer.

2. A guard of the character described, comprising a shield, a stay-piece shorter than the inner surface of said shield and secured to said shield over the inner side thereof, whereby a space is formed between the stay and the inner surface of said shield, and means for securing said guard to the wearer.

3. A leg-guard of the character described, comprising a curved shield, stay or stays shorter than the inner periphery of said shield and secured over the inner side thereof,where by a space is formed between said stay or stays and the concaved surface of said shield, and means for attaching said shield to the leg.

4. A leg-guard of the character described, comprising a curved shield, stay 'or stays of pliant material shorter than the inner periphcry of said shield and secured over the inner side thereof at or near its opposite edges, whereby a space is formed between said stay or stays and the concave surface of said shield, and means for securing said shield to the leg.

5. A leg-guard of the character described, consisting of acurved rigid shield portion havin g attached thereto at or near the edges thereof an inner pliant portion that is adapted to rest against the leg, and means for attaching the guard to the leg; the said inner pliant portion being less in length than the width of the blank from which the shield portion is made, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BENJAMIN F. SHIBE.

Witnesses:

THOS. D. MOWLDS, J. I. NEWELL. 

